Covid tests in 9 Maharashtra districts less than WHO norms, says Centre

PUNE: The Union Health ministry has directed nine districts in Maharashtra to scale up the daily average Covid testing that has gone below the WHO norms of 140 tests a day per million population.
For the week ending November 22, Akola, Amravati, Buldhana, Dhule, Gondia, Hingoli, Nandurbar, Washim and Yavatmal have been listed as conducting average tests per million below the norms set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Citing the trend as a cause for concern, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Tuesday wrote a letter to Maharashtra additional chief secretary Dr Pradeep Vyas and told him to ensure scaled-up testing in the state.
When contacted, Dr Vyas told TOI that the situation in Maharashtra was under control. “We are vigilant. As many as 14 districts in Maharashtra have a weekly positivity rate (WPR) less than 0.5%. The state’s WPR is 1%. Maharashtra has always been conducting the maximum tests in the country. I have told all districts to ramp up the tests,” he said.
Health officials were of the view that though the nine districts did not have adequate facilities. “The districts need to improve the testing facilities and test and track the ‘superspreaders’,” an official said.
The Centre in its letter stated that Maharashtra reported 97,502 average tests on a daily basis as of the week ending November 22 — a stark contrast to a high of 2.68 lakh average daily tests in the May 17-23 week. “A decrease in testing will undermine the actual infection spread,” Bhushan said in the letter.
Though the Centre has taken note of the decline in new cases on a daily basis to about 10,000, it also observed a decline in weekly testing rates. The letter stated, “In the absence of sustained levels of testing, it is difficult to determine the actual level of infection spread in a geography. A majority of the countries are witnessing multiple surges in Covid cases in recent times. A few developed countries are facing the fourth and fifth waves of the pandemic despite the high levels of vaccination. There is a need for continuous vigil.”
Bhushan has directed Maharashtra to maintain high testing given the recent increase in travel due to events such as weddings, festivals and vacations. The Centre has also cited the onset of winter and increased pollution in some states, prevalence of influenza like illness/severe acute respiratory infection and respiratory distress symptoms as a reason for close monitoring with tests and early hotspot identification State health minister Rajesh Tope had earlier told TOI that all districts were directed to scale up testing. A health official said during the week of Diwali festivities, the tests had halved to about 5.5 lakh tests as against 10 lakh tests conducted in the week.
“As of now cases are under control. We should be very vigilant to ensure that there is no laxity in testing and followup to ensure that the cases do not increase,” a public health department official said.